The invention relates to an article comprising board, paper or the like, particularly a greeting card, with two material portions which may be superimposed, and a process and an intermediate product for the production thereof
Greeting cards with different attributes are widely used, also including cards which are complex from the point of view of the printing or other attributes. Examples of such more complex greeting cards are those which contain a music chip which is activated by opening the folded card.
By means of the present invention an article comprising board, paper or the like, particularly a greeting card, is intended to be developed in such a way that a sensory stimulus (release of perfume) is obtained when it is folded open.
According to the invention this object is achieved by an article comprising board, paper or the like, particularly a greeting card, with two material portions which may be superimposed, wherein at least one of the material portions has an adhesive layer comprising a self-adhesive material and at least one of the material portions a perfume layer.
In that this article comprising board, paper or the like has a self-adhesive adhesive layer the card is securely held in the folded state. In this way the perfume layer is securely covered and no or only little perfume is released from the perfume layer until the recipient of the article comprising board, paper or the like folds it open. In the case of stiff articles this covering effect of the perfume layer is also obtained when the adhesive layer and the perfume layer are not directly superimposed when material portions are folded up.
Articles comprising board, paper or the like in the meaning of the present invention are not only greeting cards and other cards but also other printed products, packs for the most varied goods such as chocolates, soaps, cigarettes, porcelain etc. The invention may be used wherever any article of this kind has material portions which can be superimposed (folded over each other or placed over each other).
Plastics films in particular also come into consideration as material in addition to board and paper.
A development of the invention is advantageous on the one hand because where material portions are superimposed the adhesive layer covers at least a part of the perfume layer, preferably covers the entire perfume layer. This thus provides a good seal of the perfume layer obtained by means of the adhesive layer and a close cohesion of the material portions which are folded over each other precisely in the region in which the perfume layer is provided.
A development of the invention is of advantage in respect of ease of handling and simple production of the article comprising board, paper or the like. Surface regions of the article also have little modification so that it may, furthermore, be used in conventional manner, e.g. in the case of a greeting card it may be inscribed.
A development of the invention is also of advantage in respect of simple production of the article at low manufacturing cost, as only one layer needs to be applied, whether in the form of an intermediate product or by direct printing.
A development of the invention is of advantage in respect of low losses of perfumes during a storage period of the article comprising board, paper or the like which precedes actual use.
A development of the invention is also of advantage in respect of a simple producibility of the perfume layer but also in respect of the fact that the micro-capsules, if desired, can also easily be mechanically destroyed by hand in order to test the perfume released.
The micro-capsules containing a perfume can be contained in a composite structure in which they provide a pre-determined breaking surface when the other two layers are pulled apart.
A development of the invention is of advantage in respect of a simple application of the micro-capsule layer to the article.
An article can be produced particularly inexpensively. With such an article also it is ensured that perfume is released when the material portions are moved apart.
A development of the invention ensures that the two material portions which can be superimposed can be sold unjoined and yet a perfume release is prevented before a desired point in time. If a protective layer is also provided for the adhesive layer, the material portions which can be superimposed also remain unjoined initially, which facilitates inscribing a greeting card for example.
A production process for an article according to the invention is distinguished in that the perfume layer may be applied to the particular desired portion of the article accurately and at low cost.
The same advantage is obtained with respect to the adhesive layer, with a further production process.
If articles according to the invention are to be produced in small quantities only, this may take place in simple manner by using an intermediate product. This intermediate product is produced separately in larger quantities and may then be applied to the articles which are required in smaller quantities only.
Application of this kind is particularly simple in the case of a development of the intermediate product.
An intermediate product comprises a covering of the free surface, so that losses of perfumes before the article is used are avoided.
A development of the invention permits a simple application of the intermediate product to an article in particularly small quantities or also by an end consumer who can thus additionally prepare a common commercial greeting card, for example, in such a way that it releases a perfume when it is opened.
A development of the intermediate product facilitates handling by an end user. A development of the invention makes it possible to use the intermediate product like a transparent packing strip. Particularly when packing gifts, the giftwrap used thus remains fully visible, so that the bonding point is not noticeable.
An intermediate product is also already transparent when it is joined to an article while not yet activated, i.e. carries a further protective layer. This is desirable for articles produced in small quantities using intermediate products.